Classic for under £10K

[NewcastleFalcon]

...The good old Triumph Spitfire got an airing on the Moving on, finally thread.

Hands up if you knew this trivia about it

from http://www.triumphspitfire.com/Trivia.html

In the early 60's, the aircraft company Vickers/Supermarine wanted to use the Vanguard name for one of its passenger aircraft. They said in exchange they would allow Standard-Triumph to use the name of one of their aircraft. Standard-Triumph picked Spitfire.

Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

That's a lovely bit of trivia... I remember the Vanguard 'plane.. very successful it was too...

Another bit of trivia.. the Standard Vanguard engine was used, in detuned form, in the Massey Ferguson TE20 tractor.. Detuned so it would run on TVO...

There was also a diesel Standard Vanguard too...

[NewcastleFalcon]

. Detuned so it would run on TVO.....

Definitely thought the VO bit would translate into Vegetable Oil, but no, us "Orange Belts" with that thirst for knowledge and enlightenment discover that the T stands for Tractor, the V for Vapourising, and the O does stand for Oil.

Regards Neil

PS another bit of Spitfire trivia from out of that link

According to Hemmings Motor News, the Spitfire's 24 feet turning circle is the shortest distance of any production car built.

and one of those unbelievable co-incidences the two vehicles I have been posting stuff about today The Spitfire and the Messerschmitt (decent pub name) are pictured here in tandem from another part of the same site

[CitroJim]

The Messerschmitt driver looks either deliriously happy or in pain. Not sure which! I'd be loving every minute.. Loved all those little what were generally called 'bubble cars' ever since I was little. There were still a lot running around as daily transport then..

TVO had a very distinctive smell and one I'll never forget as again, back when I was little there were loads of tractors still in use running on TVO... Dad had a large engine-driven sawbench he used for making trees into logs for the boiler. That engine ran on TVO... If he had no TVO handy he ran it on paraffin once he'd filled the carb with petrol to initially start it. A few farmers ran their tractors on paraffin too but it made them stink and smoke pretty badly...

A TVO tractor would not start from cold on TVO so it had a second small auxiliary fuel tank containing petrol for starting purposes. Once hot the driver switched over to the main TVO tank. Shades of what happens when running on LPG these days...

TVO is no longer available and has not been for years now. A fair substitute can be made by mixing petrol and paraffin...

Happy memories

[NewcastleFalcon]

It would be rude not to slip in a Vickers Vanguard the other part of the Spitfire deal.....



Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

A proper aeroplane

[NewcastleFalcon]

Next tie you come across a Triumph Spitfire in the flesh and have a good mooch around, have a look at the bonnet catches.



Whats that "m" doing there

Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

Whats that "m" doing there

I believe, Neil, that's the mark of the designer of the car - Giovanni Michelotti

It's why the Spit looks so good and has stood the test of time... It's styled by an Italian as all the best looking cars generally are...

There are exceptions but not many! Even the original Mini was styled by an Italian - not for looks primarily but for utility but it still looks bloody wonderful...

Have the Italian styling houses ever done a bad one?

[demag]

The Messerschmitt driver is probably suffering from heatstroke Jim!

Sent from my Wileyfox Swift using Tapatalk

[CitroJim]

The Messerschmitt driver is probably suffering from heatstroke Jim!

Hey yes! That or being slowly roasted at gas mark 3

[NewcastleFalcon]

Have the Italian styling houses ever done a bad one?

All a matter of taste of course, but Pininfarina's efforts with the Hyundai Matrix was maybe not one of their better days!

Then again the brief from Hyundai may have been "We want a metal box with a wheel at each corner"

Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

Have the Italian styling houses ever done a bad one?

All a matter of taste of course, but Pinninfarina's efforts with the Hyundai Matrix was maybe not one of their better days!

Then again the brief from Hyundai ay have been "We want a metal box with a wheel at each corner"

Regards Neil

True but maybe a discounted cheap Friday afternoon job for the apprentices after a good liquid lunch

[Hell Razor5543]

Apparently some Italian styling houses have produced designs that are not pleasing to the eye, but these have been buried in the Vatican City vaults (as they are considered works of the Devil, and need to be kept away from human contact).

[NewcastleFalcon]

Ah.....it's been a few months since this old thread got an airing, but it is spring, and classic car open-toppage examples a-plenty over on the sister spotting thread, so thoughts might well turn to joining in.

The MGA register does have on its pages a useful list of Auction Houses doing classic sales, and if nothing else they do provide a superb afternoon's mooch. Morris and Leslie up in Scotland is one I know of and not on the list but it's a decent list none the less for a bit on-line explore.

http://www.buyinganmg.com/subpages/buyingatauction2.htm

and if you like videos of Quentin Wilson amongst some shiny cars sincerely giving a bit of simple advice about buying classics at auction you'll like this...



..and for those who like to do a bit of spreadsheeting before working out whether its a good thing to buy or not to buy you could even make an appreciation assumption ( if you buy well) to convince yourself you can do it! Quentin tells us as much a the end of his piece!

Regards Neil

[mickeymoon]

I have been looking for a "modern classic" to use as a family car, one that will retain it's value or not lose too much over the 5 years or so I'd keep it. Must have the ability to carry bikes without taking them apart with 3 people, or up to 7 without. Must have a good safety rating and parts availability with good Internet/club backup.

Any ideas? So far the only vehicles I can find which fulfill all those are either a 2003-6 Range Rover TD6 or a Discovery of the same vintage both of which I'd happily use.

It looks as though I'm going to have a 100 mile commute as a round trip after June too.. so, I'm considering a C1 diesel 5 door for that. I get my fuel paid for at 40p/mile for the first six months too I know they're not the greatest motorway car but pottering at 60 is totally fine and very economical!